Check Ohio's sex offender registry before Halloween

With trick-or-treating on everyone's minds, parents may be worried about who exactly their children are receiving candy from.

Under Ohio law, a convicted sex offender must register and remain on a list for a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of a lifetime. But that doesn't mean the community will be notified if there is a registered sex offender living near them.

The law states that only two classifications of sex offenders are subject to mandatory community notification. These are "Sexual Predators" and "Tier III." (See below for a breakdown of sex offender classifications.) Neighbors living within 1000 feet of these registrations will be notified.

A database of all registered sex offenders is available to be searched online. The database allows you to search by address, name, city, non-complaint offenders, internet names and emails, and phone number. To see if there are any sex offenders living in your neighborhood or the area you plan to trick-or-treat in, search the Attorney General's website.

Search Ohio's sex offender registry

The search will take you to a map to show where, if any, offenders live near you, along with a list of names, their tier classification, address and picture.

The following is the breakdown of sex offender classifications, courtesy of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office website:

• Tier I: A sex offender other than a Tier II or Tier III sex offender.
• Tier II: Offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and:
  • is comparable to or more severe than the following offenses when committed against a minor, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit against a minor
    • sex trafficking
    • coercion and enticement
    • transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
    • abusive sexual contact
  • involves
    • use of a minor in a sexual performance
    • solicitation of a minor to practice prostitution
    • production or distribution of child pornography
    • occurs after the offender becomes a tier I sex offender
• Tier III: Offense punishable my imprisonment for more than one year and:
  • is comparable to or more severe than the following offenses when committed against a minor, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit against a minor
    • aggravated sexual abuse or sexual abuse
    • abusive sexual contact against a minor who is not yet 13 years old
    • involves kidnapping of a minor
    • occurs after the offender becomes a tier II sex offender

For more information about sex offender registration and notification, click here.